Off the Top...

In Duke’s Centennial, Celebrating a Special Connection With Durham

A new Durham History Museum exhibit put a focus on the people and major events of Duke’s centennial. It features the legacy of Durham native Joyce Clayton Thorpe Nichols as the first woman to graduate from Duke University’s Physician’s Assistant program, as well as the story of Duke's transition from Trinity College into the University and the establishment of the Duke Endowment. In her comments at the event, Stelfanie Williams, vice president for Durham and community affairs, emphasized the true reason for the celebration was the Durham community.

Duke and Durham

Celebrating the Centennial...

The Founding of Duke University:

In honor of Founders' Day celebrations this week, this piece narrates the timeline of Duke's founding, particularly the transition from Trinity College into Duke Univesity. It includes firsthand accounts from the founders of Duke and their desires for its potential.

Founders' Day

Federally Funded Research at Duke...

How Bonuses for Senior Managers Led to More Pay Inequality

A new working paper from Melanie Wallskog, assistant professor of finance at the Fuqua School of Business, showed that performance-based bonuses drive the pay gap within companies. The paper details how year-end bonuses for CEOs and top managers may explain a significant rise in wage inequality over the last several decades. Wallskog said that if regulators want to try to address inequality, they should focus on the employees paid on the lower end of the spectrum using policies directly impacting their earnings, such as minimum wage or unemployment insurance programs.

This research was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation.

Performance Pay

More from Duke...

Service Spotlights from the Heart of Campus

A new Duke Today spotlight highlights the invaluable contributions of service workers at Duke University, emphasizing their dedication and the impact they have on campus life. It profiles five employees, each representing a legacy of service.

Donovan Johnson: A pot washer at the Wall Center, he also manages kitchen inventory and learned Spanish to communicate with Spanish-speaking colleagues. Outside of work, Johnson is a stand-up comedian.
Julia Anderson: A cashier with 40 years at Duke, she greets students each morning, helping to ease their transition into college life. Anderson said she enjoys meeting students who come from all over the world. Outside of Duke, Anderson is actively involved in her church and family and has an affinity for antiques.
Barbara Phelmetta: Phelmetta has a career cooking at Duke that spans 40 years. She reflects on the evolution of food safety practices. A grandmother and baker, she enjoys preparing meals for others and has a connection to Duke's history through her family--they lived in the same neighborhood as George Wall's family.
Chris Cox: A lead production worker with 23 years at Duke, Cox started as a prep cook. Passionate about fishing and restoring old trucks, he finds joy in learning new culinary skills and recipes at work.
Tierra Brodie: The daughter of long-time Duke housekeepers, Brodie works as a lead food service worker. Brodie is currently a student at Wake Tech studying medical billing coding and aspires to continue her career at Duke in healthcare.

Service Spotlights

CFOs Remain Optimistic for 2024

The Richmond Fed's CFO Survey, conducted by the Fuqua School of Business, reveals that CFOs maintain optimism about their companies' prospects despite economic concerns and election-related uncertainties. The findings include little change in overall optimism about the economy or individual firm prospects, monetary policies continue to be a top concern for CFOs, and about a third of firms have altered their future investment plans due to election uncertainties.

Surveying CFOs

Teaching the Science of Innovation to Military Members

The Design Defense Studio at Duke University trains U.S. military personnel in innovation over nine weeks, addressing real challenges for the Department of Defense. Led by Robb and Kate Olsen for Duke Engineering’s Master of Engineering Management program, participants collaborate in teams across multiple branches of the military. They tackle issues like drone threats and navigation without GPS, developing practical solutions, such as using smartphone technology for star-based location tracking. The program not only generates actionable ideas, but also instills a lasting innovation mindset among service members for their future roles.

Design Defense Studio

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